CHELSEA are in talks with Juventus over a summer swoop for Miralem Pjanic with Jorginho going the other way, according to reports.
The Bosnian had looked all set to join Barcelona having agreed terms.
But the deal depended on Barca’s Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo going the other way.
And the 23-year-old declined, preferring to stay and fight for his place among Messi and Co at Camp Nou.
According to the Guardian this has opened the door for the Blues, with Frank Lampard’s squad possessing a bargaining chip that Maurizio Sarri rather likes.
Swap deals are likely to be commonplace this summer, as clubs still seek to strengthen their squads amid the financial chaos brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite missing out on Arthur, Sarri still wants to flog Pjanic, having not been won over by the talented 30-year-old this season.
And the Italian would like to be reunited once again with Jorginho, this time in Turin.
The duo were much-ridiculed last season at Stamford Bridge, with Jorginho, 28, seen as on-pitch emblem of the failings of “Sarri-ball”.
The midfielder has managed to win over many of the Chelsea fans this season under Lampard, but it is still very much debatable as to whether he gets into their best XI.
And the West Londoners are not afraid of letting the Italian metronome go, especially if they are to gain a player of Pjanic’s quality in return.
Possessing excellent set-piece skills, the supreme technician has been at Juventus since 2016, making 167 appearances since his switch from Roma.
Paris Saint-Germain are also said to be interested in acquiring his services – but for now it appears to be Chelsea who have moved into the driving seat.
